Indexing system



P 9, 1952 R. A. BRATTON 2,610,062

mmaxms SYSTEM Filed Sept. '7, 1949 2 srmms-sm-zm 2 20' 52525451 I Fig. 8

'' INVENTOR.

Y Ros: RT A. BRATTON Patented Sept. 9, 1952 INDEXING sYs'rmu f Robert A. Bratto n, Columbus ohio, assig'nor, by mesne assignments, to The Brush Development Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a" corporation of Ohio 9 Application on" thesurface of the recording element.

One of the objects of this invention is to provide a recording element or blank having indicia appearing directly upon the surface of the recording element and extending across substantially theentire width of the surface available for recording. The indicia so provided is adapted to -be marked to indicate on the surface'fo f the recording element theexte'nt and location of that portion ofthe recording surfaceupo'n which recording has been eifec t ed. This indicia' forms'an'; index "adapted to receive markings conveying in structions and directions concerning the mate rial recorded, which becomes a visible and inte gral part of the recording element, and which is always availablefor use in recording or reproducing dictation. One of the features of this constructionis that the dictation canbe transcribed, 3 or the recording element with dictation recorded thereon filed for future use without "requiring separate instructions to be written out concerning the dictation and without danger of losing or misplacing such instructions. 1 Another object of this invention is to provide an index of the character described which can be' used with other indexing means havingsimilar indicia for determining atany time the amount of dictation recorded as well as the width of the recording surface still available for 'use. =With these indexes, the operator is always advised of the particular area on the recording surface whereany given dictation is recorded, which facilitates referring to or reproducing such dictation, and which also enables the operator to know at what point the last given dictation was come pleted.

It is also an object of the'invention to provide a, mechanism which operates automatically to place a visible mark on thesurface of there cording element within the indexing area. The operator recording dictation is thus able to mark on the index data pertinent to reproducing or semester 7, 1949; seriai No. 114,371] 1 Claim: (01.12744) v a 2 transcribing certain dictation from element at a later period.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following de scription, reference being had to the accompany-"- ing'drawings wherein a preferred form of embodi-i merit ofthe invention is clearly shown. the drawings: V l l Figl l is a perspective view of a machine for.

recording dictation and illustrating a recording element embodying'an index' in accordance with the present invention;

Fig." 2 is a broken,to'p elevationalview on an enlarged scale of the recording element and groovedtracking disc shown in Fig; 1; i

Fig. 3 is a broken, side elevational view through the recording arm and shown 'in Fig. l;

turntable of the machine Fig. 4 is a broken, side elevational view of the recording arm and turntable and showing mechanisni mountedon' the arm for automatically placing a visible mark on the recording element ordisc'jthe marking mechanism beingshowninthe normal or non-marking position;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view, similar to Fig; 4,

showing the marking mechanism set in the first operating position prior to engaging the surface of the recording element or disc; v i

Fig. 6 "is a view, similar to Fig. "5; showing the marking mechanism setlin the second operating position with the crayon engaging the surface of the recording element; Fig. 7 is a partial, front elevational view showing the marking mechanism mounted on the end of the recording arm; 1 Fig. 8 is a view, similar to Fig. 2, showingthe location of the cam element used to operate the marking mechanism; and

Fig. 9 is a' brokemside elevationalviewof the grooved tracking disc showing the cam element:

mounted thereon. l

Referring further to the drawings, the ma-- chine illustrated in Fig. 1 comprises, in general," a housing or base II). A turntable :l LFig. 3, is @rotatably supported on top of the base.

motor-means for ,driving the turntable is con-- The tainedwithin the base and not shown since'itis of the usual type provided for such purposes. The pins l3 and I4, Fig. 2; projecting fromthe top of the turntable; provide for' locating and retaining the recording element 15 on the turn table. 1

In the form shown, the recording mediumror element I 5 comprises a 'thin, circulardi'sc or blank. .This blank is provided with a surfacei the recording upon which the dictation is recorded by electrical means. For example, this surface may have a metal coating of iron oxide suitable for magnetically recording the dictation. Circular openings extend through the blank I5. The pins I3 and I4 extend through these openings and-provide' for retaining the blank on'the turntable.

An index, generally indicated at 20, Fig. 2, is provided on the top surface of the blank I5. This index is printed, or otherwise marked in any suitable manner, directly upon the recording sur face and extends across substantially the full 4. index has similar spacing of indicia and numbering to those provided for the index 20. The index 4-5 is positioned on the arm so that when the arm is set with the guide stylus closest to the center of disc 38, the indicia or mark number I is aligned directly over the outside edge 46, Fig. 3,-of the disc 33; The edge 46 thus forms a reference point for reading. the index 45... For example, referring to Fig- 3, it can be seen that the arm 39 has moved a distance equal tofour units on the index. There is thus provided a measure visible to the operator indicating the amount of Width of the area available for recording: dictation. As shown in Fig. 2, this index includes indicia in the form of a scale having an increasingly numbered sequence of equal increments ZI extending transversely to the direction in which dictation recorded on the blank I5, as well as :providing a visible. indication of the amount of the blank I5 is rotated. The indicia or marks 22 are identified by a series of numbers, here 5 of the next record. blank used if the dictation'i of the arm. The other end. of the arm is pro-,

vided with a recessed head 32, Fig. 3, having a transducer 33 adapted to ride directly upon'the' recording surface of'the blank I5. A guide'pin or stylus 35 extends through the arm 30 so as to project from the'underside as shown. This pin is movably mounted in the arm 30 and cocentrically connected to a tuning device which includes a knurled screw 36'. As the screw 36 is turned, it varies slightly'the distance between the pin 35 and the transducer 33, thereby accurately locating the transducer. 33 with respect to the record track on the record disc I5.

Means are provided for translatably moving the arm 30 relative to the blank I5 as the latter revolves on the turntable to. effect the recording of the dictation. This means includes a'flat disc 38 having a spiral'groove 39 formed on the sur v face thereof. This disc is provided with circular openings on the underside thereof into which the pins I3 and I4 are inserted to locate and retain the disc on top of the blank I5. When the arm 30 is swung so that the stylus 35 engages in the'groove 39 nearest the center of the disc 38, i. e., to the pin I3, the rotation of the turntable causes the arm 33 to move as the guide stylus 35 follows the groove 39. The transducer 33 rides on the recording surface of the blank I5 to effect the recording of the dictation. The arm 30 is moved'so that the transducer 33 travels across the entire width of the surface provided on blank I5 to receive dictation, e. g., the surface area indicated between the lines II and 42 in Fig. .2.

.An index, generally indicated at 45 in Fig. 3, is. carried on the end of arm 30 as shown. This blank I5 still available to receive additional dictation- If the dictation, for example, a letter or report is completed at this point, this information is marked directly upon the surface of blank I5 by placing a check mark, or similar symbol, opposite the numeral four on the righthand side of the index 20/ A crayon having a soft marking point is provided fcr this purpose. Also, if any additional instructions or information is essential for the transscription of the,

recorded dictation, it can be marked directly upon the recording surface of blank I5 in the areas indicated on the blank forthat purpose.v

There is no danger of such information being lost or misplaced, as would be the case where separated sheets of paper were used to receive the instructions. Furthermore, such markings on the surface of the blank I5 do not'interferewith the recording ofdictation; The transducer 33 passes freely over the surface and is 'not 5 affected in any way by'the markings so placed on the blank I5.

Means for automatically placing a visible mark on the blank I5 within the index area 20, as.

. shown in Figs. 4 to 9, can bejused'if so desired;

This marking mechanism replaces the index 45 and comprises a bracket 65 fastened to the outer end of the arm 30 with the same screw GI used to mount the head 32 in position. This bracket extends along the side of the arm, as shown in Fig. 7, and. forms a support for the finger operated member or plate 63; This plate is slidably mounted on the bracket with pins, as indicated at 64in Fig. 4, extending through the slots 65 formed in the plate. At one end the plate 53 is provided with a shoulder 66 having a tapered surface 6! extending downwardly and inwardly from the shoulder. A button 68 for the operators finger is carried on thelplate extension 69 and provides for moving the plate downwardly from the .positionshown in Fig. 4

to that shown in Fig. 5. 1' v I The marking mechanism includes a marketing member or arm I I. This member is in the form of an arm pivotally =mounted on the bracket 60, being carried on apin I2 extending through the slot I3 formed in the arm. The armis tapered at one end toprovide a surface I4 which normally extends-in parallel spaced. relation with respectto the shoulder surface 61 piece of crayon II suitable for marking on the surface of disc I5 is adjustably mounted. Thus,

in operation, when the operator pushes down on the button 68, the slots 65 allow plate 63 to slide down from the position shown in Fig. 4 to that shown in Fig. 5. This movement of the plate causes the tapered shoulder surface 61 to move downwardly and engage the tapered surface '14 on the arm H. Such engagement causes the arm surface 14 to be pushed downwardly which pivots the arm H about the pin 12. When the projecting tip of shoulder surface 6'! clears the inner end of the arm surface 14, spring causes arm II to swing about the pivot point 12 and slide inwardly, i. e., to the left as viewed in Fig. 5, to the extent permitted by the slot 13. The end surface 14 of the arm H then rides above and upon the shoulder 66 as shown in Fig. 5. If the plate 83 isthen moved upwardly as viewed in Fig. 6, the shoulder 66 raises the end of the arm H and the crayon H is moved down into engagement with the surface of the disc I5. Further upward movement of plate 63 causes the shoulder 66 to clear the end of arm H and spring 15 causes arm 1| to move back to the position shown in Fig. 4. This movement of arm H raises the crayon 11 from the disc 15.

A tripping member BI is provided to raise the plate 63, from the position shown in Fig. 4, and causes the arm H to move the crayon 11 to mark the disc. Member 81 also provides for raising the plate 63 sufficiently to allow the arm H to swing back to the position in which the crayon is out of marking contact with the disc l5. This tripping member is in the form of a cam element carried on the outer edge of the grooved tracking disc 38, Figs. 8 and 9. The cam element is positioned adjacent the inner end of the index 20. The cam element 8| is provided with an upwardly inclined surface 82, Fig. 9, which terminates in a raised shoulder portion 83. When the plate 63 is moved to the position shown in Fig. 5, the rotation of disc 38 brings the cam surface 82 into engagement with the underside of the plate. The plate is thus raised and the arm H moves to the position shown in Fig. 6 and the crayon 11 places a mark across the index 20. Further rotation of the disc 38 brings the cam shoulder 83 into engagement with the underside of plate 63. The plate is thus raised sufliciently for the shoulder 66 to clear the end of arm 1 l. The crayon is raised as previously described and the marking mechanism moves to the position shown in Fig. 4. Thus, when the operator desires to indicate on the index 20, for example, the extent or ending point of certain dictation, the button 68 is depressed when the dictation is finished. The marking mechanism is thereby set in the first operating position as shown in Fig. 5. Rotation of the disc 38 then brings the cam element 81 into contact with plate 63 and the marking mechanism is set in the second operating position as shown in Fig. 6. Further rotation of the cam element causes the crayon to be lifted from the disc I5 and the marking mechanism again set in the normal operating position as shown in Fig. 4.

In operation, the transducer 33 is electrically connected through a circuit extending from the head 32 back through the arm 30 and connection 3| to the main receiving circuit contained within the base ID. A microphone is connected to this circuit through a plug in the side of the base, as indicated at 9| in Fig. 1. Electric power is connected to the circuit and to the motor for driving the turntable through the cable 92. A volume control 93 regulates the power flow. The switch 94 provides for controlling the circuit so that oral dictation picked up by the microphone will be either magnetically recorded on the blank l5, or dictation previously recorded will be audibly played back through the microphone. An off and on switch 95 for the main circuit completes the machine controls.

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that other forms might be adopted, all coming within the scope of the claim which follows.

I claim:

In a machine for recording or reproducing dictation, in combination with an element upon which the dictation is recorded and having a plurality of indicia appearing on the surface thereof at regularly spaced intervals to form a marking area; a second element responsive to the dictation adapted to engage the surface of the first element; means providing for translatably moving one of the elements relative to the other element; and means for placing a mark in the marking area on the first element to indicate the width of the surface area upon which recording has been effected on the first element comprising a slidably mounted plate carried by the second element, a pivotally mounted marking member adapted to be raised and lowered with respect to the surface of the first element by movement of said plate, and a cam element carried on said element moving means adapted to engage the plate when the latter is moved in one direction to provide for moving the plate in the opposite direction.

ROBERT A. BRA'I'I'ON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record. in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,688,824 Miessner Oct. 23, 1928 1,949,840 Languepin Mar. 6, 1934 2,258,106 Bryce Oct. 7, 1941 2,261,284 Proctor Nov. 4, 1941 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 738,285 France Oct. 11, 1932 614,925 Germany .Q May 29, 1935 614,034 Great Britain Dec. 8, 1948 

